Air Traffic Controller Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$160,080
$76.96/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$144,581
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($148,080): +$12,000 (+8.1%)
California ranks 8th of 43 states by median pay, and 13th of 43 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $80,960 | $38.93 |
| 25th percentile | $115,810 | $55.68 |
| Median | $160,080 | $76.96 |
| 75th percentile | $207,670 | $99.84 |
| 90th percentile | $225,680 | $108.50 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 2,290
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $160,080
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $148,080
- Difference
- +$12,000 (+8.1%)
Cost of living
$160,080 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $144,581
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | ||
| 6th | $170,080 | $175,237 6th |
| Washington | ||
| 7th | $162,570 | $151,916 12th |
| California This page | ||
| 8th | $160,080 | $144,581 13th |
| Kansas | ||
| 9th | $159,700 | $177,310 5th |
| Indiana | ||
| 10th | $158,810 | $170,161 9th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Airfield Operations Specialist salary in the U.S.
$56,850/year U.S.
- Commercial Pilot salary in the U.S.
$123,220/year U.S.
- Airline Pilot, Copilot, and Flight Engineer salary in the U.S.
$232,140/year U.S.
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster salary in the U.S.
$78,000/year U.S.
- Traffic Technician salary in the U.S.
$59,090/year U.S.
- Locomotive Engineer salary in the U.S.
$81,410/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +1.7%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Associate's degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Air Traffic Controller salary in nearby places
- Air Traffic Controller salary in Arizona
$136,800/year Arizona
- Air Traffic Controller salary in Nevada
$140,920/year Nevada
- Air Traffic Controller salary in the U.S.
$148,080/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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